Pizza. How many times has this happen to you: you are sting down at home, minding your own business when all of a sudden this uncontrollable urge to eat pizza comes up, and we’re not talking healthy, veggie crust pizza here, we’re are talking about the old fashioned thing… What can we do? No, not grab the phone and order in and no, not leave the house and go to the nearest pizza joint. The solution is getting your hands dirty! Making pizza from scratch is really easy, you can even ask kids to help you out.

This crust is not the classic since I mixed wheat and rye flour mainly because I love the slightly tart rye flavor, but feel free to use wheat only. Then it’s just a matter of allowing the bread magic to happen. I love a very rustic crust so don’t bother with making it a perfect circle, I do love that shapeless look. Just in case roll the dough on top of parchment paper and then just slide the whole thing, pizza and paper straight to the oven. It is important to get the tray heating up along with the oven. And of course if you have a pizza stone do use it.

Since the desire to eat pizza was coincident with the purchase of a gorgeous basil bunch (or maybe it was the basil’s fault?!) I ended up using a sort of a peso instead of the traditional tomato sauce, but if you prefer a tomato sauce check this recipe for a really simple and quick one.

The tomatoes are unbelievably good this time of the year so how not to use them?! And to bring out the most of their natural beauty I’ve used them here simply sliced to show them in all their summer glory. The trick with using fresh tomatoes on pizza is to salt them and allow them to drain in a colander a bit so that their natural juices don’t make the pizza soggy. For the tomato not to be alone I paired it with wafer thin courgette ribbons and extra basil leaves.

I have used fresh organic mozzarella but you can absolutely make this pizza vegan, simply leave the cheese out. All the other ingredients are enough to ensure the pizza is nice and moist. And you can of course drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top once it gets out of the oven.

See you next week!

Ingredients

(makes 2 pizzas)

For the base

200gr white wheat flour

100gr rye flour

180ml luke warm water

2 tsp dry yeast

1 tbsp olive oil + a little bit more for drizzling

For the basil sauce

1 bunch of basil (leaves only)

½ garlic clove

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 good pinch of salt

For the toppings

3-4 tomatoes

1 fresh mozzarella (optional)

1 pinch of black pepper

Some fresh basil leaves

Start by mixing together the yeast and the water, allowing the yeast to activate. In a bowl combine the flours and the salt. Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeasty water and the olive oil. With a spoon start bringing it all together. When you can’t stir anymore transfer to the counter and start kneading it for a few minutes or until the dough is elastic and smooth. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil all over the dough and allow it to rise in the bowl covered by a kitchen cloth. It should take around 1 to 1 ½ hours.

While the dough is rising prepare the basil sauce by blending all ingredients with a hand blender.

Slice the tomatoes and leave them in a strainer with a good pinch of salt for them to release a bit of their liquid.

Preheat the oven to 200º. Once the dough is ready, cut in two ant put one half on top a sheet of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll it thin. Do the same to the other half. Smear the basil sauce on top of each one (be careful not to smear all the way to the edge of the dough). Lay the tomatoes, courgette ribbons, mozzarella and a pinch of pepper on top. Bake for 10 minutes at 200º and 3 to 4 minutes under broil. Once it’s baked scatter some fresh basil leaves on top.